Cyanide in cassava varieties and people’s perception on cyanide poisoning in selected regions of Tanzania
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Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Macrothink Institute
Abstract
Cassava, an important food crop in the tropical regions of the world, is known to carry
varying levels of cyanogenic glucosides that are potential poison to humans. In Tanzania,
cases of cyanide poisoning have been reported in many cassava producing areas. This study
was launched to quantify cyanide in fresh tubers of so called “sweet” cassava varieties and to
gauge peoples’ perception on cyanide poisoning in Kagera and Morogoro regions. The study
employed a questionnaire survey and a cross-sectional research design to identify different
cassava varieties and their cyanide content using alkaline titration method. Findings showed
that cyanide content in all of the analyzed tubers were above the internationally accepted
levels in human consumables. Some sweet varieties were found to be wrongly classified as
sweet because their cyanide content was above acceptable limits. For the same variety tubers
sampled from a lowland area had significantly higher (P < 0.01) cyanide content than those
from a highland point. It was also found that the upper (slippery) parenchymal tissue had
more cyanide content (P < 0.05) than the inner tissue. Nearly 80% of the studied population
was unaware of cyanide poisoning, its health effects and how to reduce cyanide content prior
to consumption. It is concluded that consumption of raw cassava tubers can lead to
undesirable health effects despite of some of them being categorized as sweet. The public
should be sensitized on the issues of cyanide in cassava and should avoid consuming raw
cassava tubers as preventive measures against cyanide poisoning.
Description
Journal article
Keywords
Cassava varieties, Cyanide levels, Cyanide poisoning